Taraba @34: Hon. Gambo Mubarak, a beacon of hope
By Osaro Adamu Jibrin
Taraba State has reached a milestone, 34 years since its creation. That is like a young adult: old enough to have history, yet still brimming with untapped potential. In those years, Taraba have seen a lot: good times, tough times, and everything in between, but through it all, the state has stood firm. It is a living testament to the saying: “No weapon fashioned against Taraba shall prosper.”
Think about it: in 34 years, we have celebrated the return of democracy, we’ve seen the rise of cell phones, and adapted to sweeping technological change that reshaped banking, commerce, and even security. At the same time, Tarabans endured terrifying outbreaks of Ebola, Lassa fever, and COVID-19 while also confronting insecurity from Boko Haram, kidnapping, and the turbulence of the #EndSARS protests. Each test forced us to come together as a people, and each triumph reminded us of our resilience.
Past and present leaders of the state deserve credit for their contributions. Their efforts brought Taraba to where it stands today. Yet, as we reflect on this journey, one truth is clear: the problems in Taraba state is not going to fix itself. It requires collective will, fresh ideas and bold thinkers who can push us forward. And that is why, as Taraba turns 34, I’m looking at Gambo Mubarak as someone who can really make a difference.
Between 2019 and 2023, as the representative of Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency, Mubarak demonstrated what purposeful leadership looks like. My conviction in his capacity to serve as the most credible candidate for the 2027 Taraba Central Senatorial race is not born of sentiment but of evidence. He has vision, political will, and the courage to reimagine Taraba’s possibilities.
To understand the kind of leadership he can provide, let’s take a quick trip back in time to America in the 1960s. It was a turbulent era marked by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the civil rights struggles led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and deep divisions fueled by racial injustice and organized crime. Police brutality ran unchecked. Amid the chaos, one man, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., emerged as a strong, unapologetic voice for his people. As a congressman, Powell pushed for civil rights, social justice, and equal opportunities, proving that leadership, backed by imagination and resolve, can change the destiny of a people.
Like Powell, Gambo Mubarak is committed to being that kind of voice for Taraba Central. He envisions a region where Sardauna, Gashaka, Bali, and Gassol are strengthened by federal-backed legislation that drives infrastructure, jobs, and social investment. This vision is not utopian; it is the logical continuation of what he has already begun.
At 34, Taraba needs more than ceremonial representation. It needs a senator who will ask tough questions, sponsor people-centered bills, and ensure that federal resources reach those who need them most. Mubarak has the rare gift of mobilizing people, not with empty words, but by responding to their real needs. That is exactly the kind of leadership the Senate requires.
But here lies the truth: no leader, no matter how visionary, succeeds without the will of the people. For Gambo Mubarak’s vision to become reality, Taraba Central must stand solidly behind him.
Powell once said: “As long as it is within the law, it’s not wrong; if the law is wrong, change the law.” That same spirit of courage and reform is what Gambo Mubarak brings to the table.
At 34, Taraba Central cannot afford stagnation. With Gambo Mubarak in the Senate, the region has the chance to rewrite its story: one of progress, opportunity, and true representation. Taraba deserves no less.
God bless Taraba state!
